New Islamabad Airport construction: Senate body summons CAA Secretary, DG
The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat has expressed serious concern and resentment over Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for giving contradictory statements about completion of construction work of New Islamabad Airport and summoned the secretary and director general CAA. The committee met with Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood in the chair and discussed the issues relating to New Islamabad Airport, Metro Project and others.
In previous meeting of the committee, the CAA had given assurance to the committee for completion of construction work on New Islamabad Airport and landing plane but the date of inauguration of New Airport were extend many times.
The committee chairman expressed strong displeasure over the contradict statements of the official of CAA and summoned the secretary and DG Civil Aviation Authority Division in the next meeting for explanation.
The chairman of the committee said that according to his personal information, there is a lot of work on the new Islamabad airport. He said that the airport is incomplete and there was no international contract to run it. A lot of work was not completed except baggage service, he added.
Replying to a question of the committee chairman, an official of CAA told that the date of inauguration of the New Airport Islamabad was not fixed in December 2017, adding that it is possible in January 2018.
The chairman said that the government had announced 14th August 2017 date of inauguration of new airport and the CAA had given this date to the Committee. He said that CAA had told the committee that it could land plane yesterday but it is not possible due the National Highway Authority (NHA).
The chairman directed the CAA to conduct complete demarcation to the boundaries of housing societies around the third runway of the airport. He said that boards should be raised about residential, commercial areas and construction work. He said that notices should be issued before stopping any illegal work. The committee also summoned the deputy commissioners of Attock and Rawalpindi in the next meeting.
Source:
https://fp.brecorder.com/2017/10/20171025229250/
New Islamabad Airport may not open until next year, officials suggest
By APP Published: October 25, 2017
ISLAMABAD: Visitors heading to the federal capital may be forced to use the Benazir International Airport in Rawalpindi for a while longer after senators heard on Tuesday that the New Islamabad International Airport may face additional delays.
In a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat at the Parliament House, with Senator Talha Mehmood in the chair, expressed their displeasure over the slew of irregularities and slow construction on the new airport.
Senator Mehmood said that despite claims from senior officials of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) about work done on the airport, he said that per his information there was still a lot of work to be done on the airport, including on the baggage services.
Talking about the state of the airport’s runways, Mehmood said that while CAA officials had previously claimed that it was ready to see a plane land at any time. Furthermore, there was no sign of when the third runway for the airport would be ready.
He directed that housing societies on land where the third runway would be built should be clearly demarcated.
Senator Mehmood has summoned the Director General and Secretary of CAA over misinforming the committee on the project completion.
CAA representatives told the committee that they have not finalised a new date for inaugurating the airport, but it could be in December 2017 or in January 2018.
At this, Senator Mehmood said that previously officials had announced August 14 as the date for inaugurating the airport and that delays were being caused by the National Highway Authority (NHA).
The committee directed that illegal construction in the area should be stopped after serving due notices. Moreover, all those housing societies granted a no-objection certificate to construct in the area should be re-audited.
The Senate panel summoned the CAA secretary and director general to appear at the next meeting and explain why the committee had been misled. Directions were also issued to the deputy commissioners of Attock and Rawalpindi, along with the Fateh Jhang Tehsil Municipal Administrator (TMA) and Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) officials, to appear before the committee at its next meeting.
The parliamentary panel also decided to conduct another on-ground visit of the new airport to examine the issues.
Source:
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1540565/1- ... s-suggest/